New York ? The weeks of talk on whether coach Norm Roberts would return to St. John’s ended Friday: He was fired after six seasons with the Red Storm — only two of them with a winning record.

The Red Storm lost to Memphis in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday to finish the season at 17-16, giving Roberts an 81-101 record with the school. St. John’s has not been in the NCAA Tournament since 2002.

St. John’s returns all five starters and 94 percent of the scoring from last season’s team.

Roberts was a longtime assistant to Bill Self at Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois and Kansas. He took over at St. John’s when it was coming off a 6-21 season under Mike Jarvis and interim coach Kevin Clark that was marred by off-court issues.

Including four years at Division II Queens College, Roberts’ record as a head coach is 105-185.